FINAL RESEARCH PAPER & PRESENTATION
PART 1: THE PAPER (worth 100 pts)
DUE November 29th in class; submit to turnitin.com before class time on the 29th
Topic approval due: October 15th – at the latest
Written Abstract due: November 8th
The purpose of this assignment is to explore an area or issue in the arts of Ancient Egypt that you
are interested in researching in depth, and to share your new knowledge with the class.
Select a monument, work of art, or category of objects discussed briefly in the text book or in class
(such as the mortuary temple of Mentuhotep II, or anthropoid coffins of the late New Kingdom). Do
further research to broaden and deepen your understanding of your selection.
-- Do not select an iconic object or monument that we have discussed in great detail, or that is analyzed
at length in the text, such as the Narmer Palette, the Great Pyramid, the bust of Nefertiti, the seated
statue of King Khafre etc.


Submit your topic – in writing – any time after September 15th. You must have your topic
pre-approved by October 15th. You may not change your topic after this date. A penalty will be
deducted for topics submitted for approval after this date (5% per class late)
You will use a MINIMUM of three sources other than text book; cite all sources in MLA format
o use Dacus library and JSTOR to find appropriate sources; use internet sources with
EXTREME care. Review the ‘how to evaluate a website’ information - do not take
Internet information at face value! If in doubt, consult with me whether the website in
question is appropriate for research.
o An written abstract (paragraph summary) of your research, a list of 3 primary
sources and a preliminary outline is due on November 8th. A penalty will be deducted
for abstracts submitted after this date (5% per class late)
How to proceed with the research content:




Identify the work(s), give accepted title and date (textbook); describe the work(s) in detail using
terms learned in the book. Include formal description: color, light, composition, medium,
technique; etc.
Discuss iconography (subject matter and function): what is being portrayed, and what is the
significance of the artwork or monument? How was it used or what purpose did it serve?
Do different scholars have different theories about the object/monument? If there are different
theories, present them succinctly, along with the key evidence that each scholar used to draw
their conclusion. Is there one theory that makes more sense than another? Why or why not?
Do some further research on the time period in which the work was made. What specific
historical or cultural events influenced the creation of your chosen work? If you've chosen a
category of objects, how do they evolve over time? What historical or cultural events accounts
for that change?
How to proceed with the writing/format:
 DO write an introduction and a conclusion to the paper. Consult your Prentice Hall guide or the
Writing Center if you need a refresher on writing effective introductions and conclusions.





DO NOT USE FIRST PERSON for this academic paper
DO provide a copy of ALL image(s) discussed with paper but DO NOT imbed images in the
body of the paper; please place at end of paper. ALL works mentioned in the text must be
accompanied by captioned illustrations. The caption includes (at minimum) the title, date, and
medium. The original location of the object should be included, if known
the body of the paper should be a minimum five pages (it is fine if you go slightly over the page
requirement); if you do not meet the page minimum the grade will drop to 65 before evaluation
The paper should be formatted and cited using MLA style as outlined in the Prentice Hall guide
proofread your paper – and not just for typos: sloppy or incomplete sentences will be severely
penalized; make sure you are using words correctly. Paragraphs should flow logically from one
topic to the next; topics and discussion should follow a logical construction, etc.
Any evidence of plagiarism will result in a zero on the paper. Plagiarism includes using either an
author’s words or their ideas without crediting the source.
Submit the paper to turnitin.com before class and bring a hard copy to class. STAPLED, please! If you
submit the paper late for any reason 10% will be deducted from the paper grade each day it is late. A
paper must have both hard copy and electronic submission by the deadline to be considered on time.
Papers never submitted to Turnitin will result in a grade no higher than 60% for the assignment, even if
you turn in a hard copy by the deadline.
PART 2: THE PRESENTATION
(worth 50 pts)
You will present the results of your research to the class in a 10-15 minute oral presentation, supported
with digital images (using PowerPoint or other means supported by classroom technology).
The outline you prepared for your paper will often work as the basis of your presentation, but you may
not simply read your paper.
To prepare the class for your presentation you may, if you wish, assign a short reading--at least one class
before your scheduled presentation--and include brief class discussion as part of your presentation;
however, the presentation portion must be a minimum of 10 minutes.
Practice your presentation, and make sure it fits within the time frame. Less than 10 minutes will lose
points, as it indicates your research was probably not thorough enough. After 15 minutes, speakers will
be cut off and will likely lose points for not covering all the material in the presentation.
You will be evaluated on both content (knowledge of subject, quality of digital materials) and style
(professionalism, speaking ability).
A copy of the PowerPoint and your presentation notes will be turned in at the conclusion of your
presentation.